Dynamic synchronization of media streams within a social network
First Claim
1. A multimedia content delivery method, comprising:
- determining a temporal difference between a first stream of multimedia content and a second stream of the multimedia content wherein the first stream of multimedia content is provided to a first viewer and the second stream is provided to a second viewer and wherein the temporal difference comprises an interval of time corresponding to an offset of the first stream relative to the second stream;
adjusting at least one of the first stream and the second stream to reduce the temporal difference; and
responsive to determining that the temporal difference is less than a particular threshold, providing a common stream of the multimedia content to the first viewer and the second viewer and including a visually detectable indication of the interaction in a display of the multimedia content to the first user in response to detecting an interaction between a first user of the first stream and a second user of the second stream;
wherein determining the temporal difference comprises determining the temporal difference in accordance with a difference between a first timestamp associated with the first stream and a second timestamp associated with the second stream.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of synchronizing first and second streams of a multimedia content program is operable for determining a temporal difference indicative of a relative timing between first and second streams of the program, the first stream being provided to a first multimedia processing resource (MPR) and the second stream being provided to a second MPR. The method includes manipulating at least one of the streams to reduce the temporal difference until the temporal difference is less than a predetermined threshold and enabling a viewer of the first stream to interact with a viewer of the second stream regarding the program. Interactions are visually detectable on a first display screen corresponding to the first MPR.
30 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A multimedia content delivery method, comprising:
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determining a temporal difference between a first stream of multimedia content and a second stream of the multimedia content wherein the first stream of multimedia content is provided to a first viewer and the second stream is provided to a second viewer and wherein the temporal difference comprises an interval of time corresponding to an offset of the first stream relative to the second stream; adjusting at least one of the first stream and the second stream to reduce the temporal difference; and responsive to determining that the temporal difference is less than a particular threshold, providing a common stream of the multimedia content to the first viewer and the second viewer and including a visually detectable indication of the interaction in a display of the multimedia content to the first user in response to detecting an interaction between a first user of the first stream and a second user of the second stream; wherein determining the temporal difference comprises determining the temporal difference in accordance with a difference between a first timestamp associated with the first stream and a second timestamp associated with the second stream. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer readable medium, including processor executable program instructions, that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
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determining a temporal difference between a first stream of multimedia content and a second stream of the multimedia content wherein the first stream of multimedia content is provided to a first viewer and the second stream is provided to a second viewer and wherein the temporal difference comprises an interval of time corresponding to an offset of the first stream relative to the second stream; adjusting at least one of the first stream and the second stream to reduce the temporal difference; and responsive to determining that the temporal difference is less than a particular threshold, providing a common stream of the multimedia content to the first viewer and the second viewer and including a visually detectable indication of the interaction in a display of the multimedia content to the first user in response to detecting an interaction between a first user of the first stream and a second user of the second stream; wherein determining the temporal difference comprises determining the temporal difference in accordance with a difference between a first timestamp associated with the first stream and a second timestamp associated with the second stream. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An application server, comprising:
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a network interface adapter for coupling to a network; a processor; and a computer readable storage device including processor executable program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising; determining a temporal difference between a first stream of multimedia content and a second stream of the multimedia content wherein the first stream of multimedia content is provided to a first viewer and the second stream is provided to a second viewer and wherein the temporal difference comprises an interval of time corresponding to an offset of the first stream relative to the second stream and wherein determining the temporal difference comprises determining the temporal difference in accordance with a difference between a first timestamp associated with the first stream and a second timestamp associated with the second stream; adjusting at least one of the first stream and the second stream to reduce the temporal difference; detecting an interaction between a first user of the first stream and a second user of the second stream; responsive to determining that the temporal difference is less than a particular threshold, providing a common stream of the multimedia content to the first viewer and the second viewer and including a visually detectable indication of the interaction in a display of the multimedia content to the first user. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification